Definition of 'heat'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense heats
, present participle heating
, past tense, past participle heated
1. verb
When you heat something, you raise its temperature, for example by using a flame or a special piece of equipment.
4. uncountable noun
The heat of something is the temperature of something that is warm or that is being heated.
5. singular noun
6. uncountable noun
7. singular noun
8. countable noun
A heat is one of a series of races or competitions. The winners of a heat take part in another race or competition, against the winners of other
heats.
9. See also dead heat
10.
See on heat/in heat
Phrasal verbs:
See heat up
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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heat
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Word Frequency
heat in British English
noun
1.
a.
▶ Related adjectives: thermal, calorificthe energy transferred as a result of a difference in temperature
3.
the state or quality of being hot
6.
pressure
the political heat on the government over the economy
8.
a period or condition of sexual excitement in female mammals that occurs at oestrus
10. slang
police activity after a crime
the heat is off
12. See in the heat of the moment
13. See on heat
14. See the heat
15. See turn up the heat
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
heatless (ˈheatless) adjective
Word origin
Old English hǣtu; related to hāt hot, Old Frisian hēte heat, Old High German heizīWord Frequency
heat in American English
noun
1.
the quality of being hot; hotness: in physics, heat is considered a form of energy existing as the result of the random motion
of molecules and is the form of energy that is transferred between bodies as a result
of their temperature difference
3.
degree of hotness or warmth
at low heat
4.
the perception of heat by the senses, resulting from contact with or nearness to something hot;
sensation of hotness or warmth felt through the skin
5.
hot weather or climate
9.
strong feeling or emotion; excitement, ardor, anger, zeal, etc.
10.
the period or condition of excitement, intensity, stress, etc.; most violent or intense point or stage
in the heat of battle
11.
13. US, Slang
a.
coercion, as by intimidation
b.
great pressure, as in criminal investigation or law enforcement
c.
the police
d.
a pistol
verb transitive, verb intransitive
16.
to make or become warm or hot
17.
to make or become excited; inflame or become inflamed
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
heat in American English
(hit)
noun
1.
2.
the condition or quality of being hot
the heat of an oven
3.
the degree of hotness; temperature
moderate heat
4.
the sensation of warmth or hotness
unpleasant heat
5.
a bodily temperature higher than normal
the heat of a fever
the feeling of heat caused by physical exertion
6.
added or external energy that causes a rise in temperature, expansion, evaporation, or other physical change
7. Physics
a nonmechanical energy transfer with reference to a temperature difference between a system and its
surroundings or between two parts of the same system
Symbol: Q8.
a hot condition of the atmosphere or physical environment; hot season or weather
9.
a period of hot weather
10.
a sharp, pungent flavor, as that produced by strong spices
11.
warmth or intensity of feeling; vehemence; passion
He spoke with much heat and at great length
12.
maximum intensity in an activity, condition, etc.; the height of any action, situation, or
the like
the heat of battle
the heat of passion
13.
In the heat of his hasty departure he forgot his keys
14.
a single intense effort; a sustained, concentrated, and continuous operation
The painting was finished at a heat
16. slang
the police
18. Sport
a.
a single course in or division of a race or other contest
b.
a race or other contest in which competitors attempt to qualify for entry in the final race or contest
19. Metallurgy
a.
a single operation of heating, as of metal in a furnace, in the treating and melting
of metals
b.
a quantity of metal produced by such an operation
20. Zoology
a.
sexual receptiveness in animals, esp. females
transitive verb
21. (often fol. by up)
to make hot or warm
22.
to excite emotionally; inflame or rouse with passion
intransitive verb
SYNONYMS 2. hotness, warmth. 3. caloricity. 11. ardor, fervor, zeal, flush, fever, excitement, impetuosity. 22. stimulate, warm, stir, animate.ANTONYMS 1. coolness. 11. indifference. 21. cool.23. (often fol. by up)
to become hot or warm
24.
to become excited emotionally
25. See heat up
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
heatable adjective
heatful
adjective
heatless
adjective
heatlike
adjective
Word Frequency
heat in Mechanical Engineering
(hit)
noun
(Mechanical engineering: Energy, thermodynamics and heat transfer)
heat pump, heat transfer, heater Heat is a type of energy associated with temperature.
When heat goes into a substance, the temperature of that substance rises.
The furnace keeps trying to turn on but then shuts itself off without ever producing
any heat.
Heat is a type of energy associated with temperature.
Collins COBUILD Key Words for Mechanical Engineering. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Examples of 'heat' in a sentence
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In other languages
heat
British English: heat
/hiːt/ NOUN
Heat is warmth or the quality of being hot.
...the strong heat of the sun.
- American English: heat /ˈhit/
- Arabic: حَرَارَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: calor
- Chinese: 热
- Croatian: vrućina
- Czech: teplo
- Danish: varme
- Dutch: hitte
- European Spanish: calor
- Finnish: kuumuus
- French: chaleur
- German: Hitze
- Greek: θερμότητα
- Italian: calore
- Japanese: 熱
- Korean: 열
- Norwegian: varme
- Polish: ciepło
- European Portuguese: calor
- Romanian: căldură
- Russian: жара
- Latin American Spanish: calor
- Swedish: värme
- Thai: ความร้อน
- Turkish: ısı
- Ukrainian: тепло
- Vietnamese: nhiệt
British English: heat
/hiːt/ VERB
When you heat something, you raise its temperature, for example by using a flame or a special piece of equipment.
Meanwhile, heat the tomatoes and oil in a pan.
- American English: heat /ˈhit/
- Arabic: يُسَخِّنُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: aquecer
- Chinese: 供热
- Croatian: grijati
- Czech: ohřát
- Danish: opvarme
- Dutch: verhitten
- European Spanish: calentar transitivo
- Finnish: lämmittää
- French: chauffer
- German: heizen
- Greek: θερμαίνω
- Italian: riscaldare
- Japanese: 熱する
- Korean: 가열하다
- Norwegian: varme
- Polish: ogrzać
- European Portuguese: aquecer
- Romanian: a încălzi
- Russian: нагревать
- Latin American Spanish: calentar
- Swedish: värma
- Thai: ทำให้ร้อน
- Turkish: ısıtmak
- Ukrainian: гріти
- Vietnamese: đốt nóng
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